Guest guest Posted July 23, 2004 Report Share Posted July 23, 2004 > GMW:_Call_for_ban_on_pharma_crops > " GM_WATCH " <info > Fri, 23 Jul 2004 14:53:49 +0100 > > GM WATCH daily > http://www.gmwatch.org > ------- > A moratorium on genetically engineered pharma crops > is being urged for California. A new 22-page report > describes some of the serious health and > environmental concerns in relation to one such crop > proposed for cultivation in California. > > According to Dr. Michael Hansen, senior research > associate with Consumers Union, " Californians cannot > rely on the federal government to protect the > state's consumers, farmers, and environment from the > potential harms of this experimental and unproven > pharmaceutical rice " . > > These same type of crops are now being targeted by > the EU based Pharma-Planta group at South Africa - a > country which has a biosafety system every bit as > weak and lax as that of the US. > > View Full Report > http://www.centerforfoodsafety.org/pubs/CARiceReport7.2004.pdf > > View Executive Summary > http://www.centerforfoodsafety.org/pubs/CARiceReportExecSumm > 7.2004.pdf > > 1.Experimental Pharmaceutical Rice May Pose Serious > Health and Environmental Hazards > 2.Consumer groups ask California to prohibit biotech > tinkering with rice crops > ------- > 1.Press Release > Experimental Pharmaceutical Rice May Pose Serious > Health and Environmental Hazards > FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE > July 21, 2004 > http://www.centerforfoodsafety.org/press_release7_21_2004.cfm > > California Agencies Urged to Investigate Potential > Impacts and Impose Moratorium on Pharmaceutical > Crops Given Lax Federal Oversight > > SACRAMENTO, CA - Consumer and environmental > organizations called on California state agencies > today to conduct a rigorous investigation of the > potential hazards posed by a biotechnology firm's > plan to produce pharmaceutical drugs from > genetically engineered rice. The potential for > contamination of conventional rice and the federal > government's failure to consider such hazards, are > at the heart of the groups' concerns. > > " Californians cannot rely on the federal government > to protect the state's consumers, farmers, and > environment from the potential harms of this > experimental and unproven pharmaceutical rice, " said > Dr. Michael Hansen, senior research associate with > Consumers Union. " We urge state authorities to > undertake their own investigation because federal > agencies have failed to adequately review these > concerns. " > > In a 22-page report sent to the California > Department of Food and Agriculture (CDFA), > California Department of Health Services (CDHS), and > the California Environmental Protection Agency > (Cal-EPA), the groups describe a number of serious, > potential health and environmental concerns about > Ventria BioScience's pharmaceutical rice. The > groups are urging California authorities to impose a > moratorium on such crops while state agencies > conduct an independent review of the controversial > proposal. > > " While the federal government properly maintains a > 'zero tolerance' standard for the contamination of > food with plant-made pharmaceuticals, they > irresponsibly allow these crops to be grown > outdoors, which will inevitably lead to unapproved > pharmaceuticals adulterating the food supply, " said > Bill Freese, research analyst at Friends of the > Earth. > > " This contradictory federal policy exposes consumers > to potential health risks and imperils California's > rice industry. " > > The report, prepared by Friends of the Earth, Center > for Food Safety, Consumers Union, and Environment > California, cites numerous scientific studies to > highlight the potential health impacts of Ventria's > pharmaceuticals, which are artificial versions of > the human milk proteins lactoferrin, lysozyme, and > alpha-1-antirypsin. The potential health impacts > described in the report include aggravation of > bacterial infections, autoimmune disorders, and > allergic reactions that have not been evaluated by > the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (see executive > summary). > > Ventria was authorized to grow 93 acres of > pharmaceutical rice in 2003, the largest reported > acreage for any pharmaceutical crop field trial in > the nation to date. Its bid to begin commercial > production on 120 acres in southern California this > year was temporarily blocked by California and > federal authorities. Ventria did gain permission to > plant a smaller plot in the Central Valley, and may > re-apply for a larger planting next year. > > The pharmaceutical traits of Ventria's rice could > pass to food-grade rice through transport in the > guts of birds, flooding, volunteer pharmaceutical > rice from unharvested seed sprouting in the > following year's crop, or pollen dispersal by bees > or high winds. Numerous experts, including a > committee of the National Academy of Sciences, have > concluded that total containment of drug traits from > pharmaceutical crops cannot be assured. > > " We believe that over time the contamination of food > grade rice is virtually inevitable, " said Dr. Doug > Gurian-Sherman, senior scientist with Center for > Food Safety. " It is absolutely critical for state > regulators to assess the potential health and > environmental impacts of this controversial > pharmaceutical crop before any more is planted. " > > The report also describes several potential > environmental impacts of Ventria's pharmaceutical > rice, such as the creation of hardier weeds, damage > to non-target insects, and disruption of soil > ecology. The EPA has not assessed Ventria's rice > despite evidence that its pharmaceutical proteins > have pesticidal properties and could disrupt soil > ecology. > > The USDA has not tested for contamination of > neighboring fields, nor has it examined the > potential for a noxious weed risk from the spread of > Ventria's pharmaceutical traits. > > " Given the potential risks and scientific > uncertainty surrounding this unproven application of > biotechnology, state officials should conduct their > own investigation to protect the interests of > California's consumers, farmers, and environment, " > said Dan Jacobsen, legislative director of > Environment California. > > CONTACT: > > Bill Freese, Friends of the Earth: 573-447-1588 > Dr. Michael Hansen, Consumers Union: 914-378-2452 > Dr. Doug Gurian-Sherman, Center for Food Safety: > 202-547-9359 > Rebecca Spector, Center for Food Safety: > 415-595-0478 (mobile) > Dan Jacobsen, Environment California: 916-446-8062 > ------- > 2.Consumer groups ask California to prohibit biotech > tinkering with rice crops > July 22, 2004 > Knight-Ridder Tribune (via Agnet) > Mike Lee, The Sacramento Bee, Calif. > > Four consumer and environmental groups were cited as > calling Wednesday on California officials to suspend > the production of pharmaceutical compounds > in rice, saying such novel crops inevitably will > contaminate the food supply. > > During the proposed moratorium, the groups want an > independent state examination of the economic, > environmental and human health effects of the > experimental crop. > > Steve Lyle, spokesman for the state Department of > Food and Agriculture, was quoted as saying, " It > ought to remain a federal issue. > > The story says that the environmental coalition's > central arguments are that federal oversight is lax > and that the state's rice industry, valued at $500 > million a year, is jeopardized by the threat of > pollution from rice that is genetically engineered > to produce drug compounds. > > Michael Hansen, senior research associate with > Consumers Union in New York, was quoted as saying in > a statement that, " Californians cannot rely on the > federal government to protect the state's consumers, > farmers and environment from the potential harms of > this experimental and unproven pharmaceutical rice. " > > The other sponsoring organizations are Friends of > the Earth, an international environmental group; the > Center for Food Safety, a consumer watchdog in > Washington, D.C.; and Environment California, a Los > Angeles-based advocacy organization. > > The story adds that some farmers view plant-made > pharmaceuticals as a possible new source of income, > while companies such as Sacramento's Ventria > Bioscience say they offer lower production costs > that could help alleviate global medicine shortages. > > A 21-page report issued Wednesday by the > environmental coalition raises questions about > possible food safety and economic issues spawned by > the spread of " pharma " rice beyond a few isolated > test plots. It targets rice developed by Ventria, > which this spring aimed to ramp up production of > rice that produces two common human proteins > expected to be used to treat severe dehydration. > > Ventria aimed to grow more than 100 acres of its > novel product in California in 2004, but federal > permits show it's down to just one acre after the > company got snarled in a lengthy rice-industry > review process. > > Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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